Suns' Ainge Resigns

Phoenix Suns coach Danny Ainge resigned today because he wants to spend more time with his wife and six children.

"Their lives have revolved around me for my entire career," he said at a news conference. "I want my life to revolve around them at this time in my life. It's that simple."

Suns chairman Jerry Colangelo said Ainge met with team management last night and told them his decision. He said the resignation had nothing to do with Ainge's performance.

"My wife just has one husband and my children just have one father," Ainge said. "Some of you may think I'm jumping ship. I don't believe I'm jumping ship. I'm diving overboard to save my family."

The 40-year-old Ainge will be replaced by assistant coach Scott Skiles, who has been Ainge's top assistant for three years. Skiles played in the NBA for 10 years at Milwaukee, Indiana, Orlando, Washington and Philadelphia.

Skiles, 35, was a candidate for the head coaching job in Orlando during the off-season. He started in the backcourt with Penny Hardaway, who now plays for the Suns, early in Hardaway's career at Orlando.

Ainge said he believes Skiles is every bit as good a coach as he was, if not better.

"This is a dream I've had for a long time, to be the youngest coach in the league and I believe I am," Skiles said. "But the circumstances of it, it's not like I'm jumping for joy. It's like I've lost a close friend. I definitely have mixed feelings about it."

The move by Ainge was highly unexpected, with Phoenix 13-7 this season and featuring one of the league's best backcourts in Jason Kidd and Hardaway.

Hardaway was acquired in the offseason from Orlando but has not played the last four games because of a sore left foot.

Ainge's record in just more than three seasons as coach was 136-90, including 56-26 in 1997-98. However, the team was eliminated in the first round of the playoffs all three years.

Ainge spent 14 years in the NBA, playing on championship teams with Boston in 1984 and 1986. His played his final three seasons with the Suns.

He was hired as an assistant to Cotton Fitzsimmons in 1996, and held that job just six months. When the Suns started the season at 0-8, Ainge replaced Fitzsimmons.

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